Bethpage-Tribune_2007-11-30

              BETHPA6! PUBLIC
45 Number 45 329 Broadway., Bethpage, NY 11714 Nov. 30-Dec. 6 aoi.com 50 Cents
Decking the Halls in Bethpage
This festive walkway is just part of the decorations that the Bethpage Chamber of Commerce is putting up along
Broadway and Stewart Avenues in preparation for their annual 01'Fashioned Holiday Lighiting Ceremony on
December 9 at 6pm.
The Bethpage Chamber of
Commerce has been quite busy the
past few weeks making sure the
town is decorated in style. In addi­tion
to extra strands of lights and
snowflakes, garland has been strung
from many store fronts as well as
around street lights all throughout
the town. The Chamber will once
again have their impressive
Menorah put into place as well as
their new gorgeous manger scene,
which was constructed by Frank
Ceglio and the Bethpage Fire
Department Juniors.
So much time and effort goes
into making the town look festive
and while some would say that the
price tag is too high, most residents
would argue that it not only pro­vides
a holiday atmosphere for our
town but also makes so many resi­dents
proud to be a part of the com­munity.
The Chamber of Commerce will
be hosting their Annual 01'
Fashioned Holiday Lighting
Ceremony on December 9, 2007 at
6:00pm in the center of town. This
year the Chamber will be featuring
a gorgeous Victorian horse drawn
carriage ride, free for all the kiddies
as well as candy and snacks, hot
chocolate, popcorn and so much
more. We will be featuring music
from Antonio Nastasi, carolling
from the St. Paul's Choir , inspira­tional
words from Rev. Sal
Bennardo from Assembly of God
Church , St. Martin of Tours
Church, St Paul's Lutheran Church
and the Midway Temple.
In addition, representatives from
Nassau County as well as the Town
of Oyster Bay will be on hand to
wish the community a happy and
healthy holiday. To add to that
wonderful line up of entertainment
the Chamber is delighted to have
the Norma's School of Dance
"Normettes" provide us with a five
star dance spectacular!
During this wonderful commu­nity
gathering the Chamber of
Commerce will be honoring several
individuals who have helped the
Chamber as well as the community
of Bethpage. And the grand finale
of this wonderful evening will be
the arrival of Santa compliments of
our very own Bethpage Fire
Department (who may have a few
surprises up their sleeve as well)
and the lighting of our beautiful
Menorah as well as our unbeliev­ably
beautiful Christmas tree donat­ed
by Emil's Garden Center and
Century 21 Metro/American
Homes.
The Chamber is asking residents
who are able to please bring a new
unwrapped toy to donate to Toys
for Tots.
The Chamber is also asking our
members and store owners to get
into the spirit by decorating their
storefront windows with some holi­day
decorations and lights. Let's
transform downtown Bethpage into
a true winter wonderland. If resi­dents
would like to make a dona­tion
to the Bethpage Chamber of
Commerce Holiday Lighting Fund
they can send their donations to the
Bethpage Chamber of Commerce,
P.O. Box 636, Bethpage New York
11714.
Pearl Harbor
Memorial
Service
by Bud Rosch
The Butehorn Bros. VFW Post
4987 of Bethpage will have a
memorial service for Pearl Harbor
Day at the railroad on Stewart
Ave. on the 7th of December at 10
AM.
When Pearl Harbor was
attacked on this day the 7th of
December 1941, without any dec­laration
of war by the Japanese
nation, our whole country was
shocked and we entered World
War Two. Our VFW Post had but
only one member that was a sur­vivor
of that attack. Bill Fortgang
our only survivor of Pearl Harbor
was honored each 'Pearl Harbor
Remembrance,' when we went to
Oyster Bay area for the memorial
and he was given the memorial
wreath, which he would throw in
the water. Bill, our member has
passed on and we no longer go to
that area as our members are quite
old now and it is usually quite
cold. We now exercise the memo­rial
of Pearl Harbor here in our
beautiful little town of Bethpage.
Yes, the "dastardly attack" as
President Roosevelt labeled it,
started a war in which every
nation was touched.
To this day 76,772 of our peo­ple
are listed as Missing in Action.
The attack brought our nation
from a peaceful to a warlike
nation. Even our women were
working in factories and gave an
excellent account of themselves
never before seen in our nation.
When we entered the war we had
nothing and in very little time we
produced the armament, ships and
aircraft and even better than that
we produced peace loving people
into warriors and taught them how
to use all of this equipment. Use it
they did and defeated an enemy
that already killed millions of peo­ple
from all different countries.
tShoe smhoewm" oy-roiaulr wpritihd eo ubyr Va"tFteWnd "ain g^n-^J
other veterans and elected offi
who usually attend.
Here it is some sixty years ago
and fortunately our enemies then
are now good friends. Our hopes
are that we will always be good
friends. We hope to see you at •*"'
Pearl Harbor exercises.
J3